** In a letter received on 18 January 2019, Valery Rukhledev informed the Committee of his decision to resign from the Committee. Mr. Rukhledev had been elected as a member of the Committee at the ninth Conference of States parties to the Convention on 14 June 2016, for a term that was to expire on 31 December 2020. On 21 January 2019, the acting Chair, Mr. Danlami Basharu notified the Secretary-General of Mr. Rukhledev’s resignation. The Secretary-General has requested the Government of the Russian Federation to appoint, within a period of two months, another expert from among its nationals to serve for the remainder of Mr. Rukhledev’s term.